Country Women's Association

News from the CWA of NSW regarding Association activities and information for our members.

News From July 2010 Executive

International/ACWW

• Small light toys for a pre-school in PNG are needed.
• Coins for Friendship (ACWW) are always welcome.
• Magazines with an Australian flavour are needed. Please send to Head Office marked "Zambia"-Outback and Country Style are examples.
• Postage for material aid parcels is ever increasing-contributions are most welcome.
• ACWW South Pacific Area President, Mrs Shanks, will be visiting Samoa and Tonga at the end of the month-she will be checking on conditions in Samoa following the tsunami and assisting with preparations for the Area Conference in Tonga in 2011.
• The two PNG students whom we are sponsoring in Fiji will be visiting NSW in October-Mispar Tumbe and Kathy Wantepa. Groups who have not already expressed an interest in hosting them, have until 1st August to do so-contact Margaret Brown.
• Primary School International books are due to Margaret Brown by 30th September Group books and Group reports are due to her by 30th November and the International embroidery piece and dolls to Head Office by 28th February. Please check the size of books and please register if posting.
• Three Equity Scholarships at $2000 were awarded to students from Earle Page College in March.
• No more T-shaped knitted t-shirts for AIDS children are needed, please.
• $2100 is being donated to the South Pacific Area ACWW President's fund.
• In the period March-June, $3250.72 was forwarded to ACWW Head Office in London, including $904.23 for Coins for Friendship.
• The International Study School will continue to be held at UNE, Armidale.

Cultural

• The dates listed in the last Journal for the Cultural Seminar were incorrect-10th and 11th August are the right dates.

Handicraft

• A judge's refresher course will be held at Head Office on 21st September-judges need to attend one of these courses every 5 years.

The Land Cookery

• For their 60th Anniversary, at the State Conference in 2011, the Committee would like members to seek out old schedules and other memorabilia to do with The Land cookery, to display.
• Shirt boxes are needed for State judging of biscuit sections.

Hospital Visiting

• No more premmie baby clothes are needed for now.
• Please make knitted squares into rugs and distribute them in your local area.

Agricultural and Environmental

• A delegation of four State Office Bearers met with the Minister for Rural Affairs, Primary Industries and Emergency Services, Steve Whan, regarding property rights, water issues and mining on agricultural land-these issues were brought forward as motions at the State Conference in May.

Miscellaneous

• The Journal Editor, Gay Cowan, wishes Branches who have innovative fundraising ideas, to contact her-a feature regarding this will be in a future edition of the Journal.
• Modern Governance Training was held for new Representatives and other members of Executive attended a session on "Understanding Financial Statements".
• The State President attended the opening of the NSW Farmers Association Annual Conference at Olympic Park.
• Three Rural Doctors Bush Bursaries at $3000 were awarded in May.
• One more nominee is needed for both the Hospital Visiting and Social Issues Committees.
• Sefton's presented an update on CWA Awareness Day-Branch kits (an A4 folder) will be arriving very soon. To date, the media campaign has resulted in 17 radio and 34 media clips. The next stage of the media campaign will begin in about a fortnight.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres gave a presentation on the work of their organisation, which CWA donates to regularly.
• Year One actions from the Strategic Plan were put in train. Two Executive Sub-Committees were set up to work on models for Succession Planning and Membership.
• Branches are urged to make sure that Medical Research Project nominations receive little or no funding from other sources.
• The 2011 State Conference will be trialling a slightly shortened format-the Church service will occur on Sunday night; the Conference will run from Monday morning to Wednesday at lunchtime; tours and/or workshops will be on Wednesday afternoon, and the Executive changeover and Gala Dinner will be on Wednesday evening.
• All discounted meals at the Residential Club have been discontinued for Executive and Committee members (including the Choir).
• Executive has set up a Management Committee to formulate the restructure and operations of the Show Kiosk for 2011. Accordingly, no nominations for the Show Catering Committee were accepted at this time.